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In spite of its reputation for rainy days and gloomy skies, more than nine million visitors descended upon Seattle, Washington in 2010. Many of the city’s famed hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions lie in the concentrated downtown area within walking distance of one another. Although the region features its share of hills, downtown Seattle remains relatively pedestrian-friendly. Visitors looking to explore areas outside the city center may require a car.

Weather

Seattle garners approximately 37 inches of rain each year, with the wettest months falling between October and March. During the city’s driest months of June, July and August, temperatures rarely rise above 80 degrees F, so make sure to have a light jacket on hand. December and January offer the coolest temperatures, with average highs in the high 40s.

Attractions

The city’s most iconic landmarks are downtown, including the famed Space Needle (spaceneedle.com), which sits in the sprawling Seattle Center complex. Built in 1962 for the World’s Fair, the needle towers 605 feet in the air and offers visitors an observation deck at 500 feet. Located in the same complex, Experience Music Project (empmuseum.org) details the history of popular music, including Seattle-based grunge musicians, via interactive exhibits and historic mementos.

Transportation

Sea-Tac Airport (portseattle.org/seatac) lies 12 miles south of Seattle, but the Central Link Light Rail (soundtransit.org) system connects travelers from the airport to the downtown region in approximately 40 minutes. Visitors may arrive by Amtrak (amtrak.com) at the King Street Station. The Cascades, a commuter train from Portland to Vancouver, travels to Seattle three-times daily, while the Coast Starlight arrives daily from Los Angeles. Washington State Ferries (wsdot.wa.gov/ferries) offers service between downtown Seattle to neighboring Bainbridge Island, Bremerton and Vashon Island. Passengers may ride for free through downtown Seattle on the Metro bus system from early morning till evening daily.

Dining

Based in downtown Seattle, and spread across nine acres, Pike Place Market (pikeplacemarket.org) plays host to more than 200 businesses, including gourmet food shops, fresh farm produce stands, fish markets and sit-down restaurants. Although the city now features hundreds of coffeehouses, the famed Starbucks chain began in Pike Place and still occupies a spot in the market. The waterfront city offers its fair share of seafood eateries, including the original Ivar’s (ivars.com), and its subsequent incarnations, which has been serving up fish and chips and clam chowder since 1938. Catering to Seattle’s thriving Japanese community, renowned chef Shiro Kashiba operates the revered Shiro’s Sushi Restaurant in downtown’s Belltown neighborhood. The menu offers sushi, sashimi and tempura dishes.

Hotels

The downtown region features a host of high-end hotels, including the 1924 Fairmont Olympic Hotel (fairmont.com/seattle), outfitted with crystal chandeliers, an indoor swimming pool and 450 guest rooms, some of which include marble bathrooms and city views. The modern W Seattle (starwoodhotels.com) offers MP3 player docking stations and DVD players in all rooms, as well as a lobby lounge with a fireplace and fully equipped business center. As of publication date, rooms in these hotels average around $450 a night. The downtown area also includes a handful of inexpensive hotels, including the 1928 Executive Hotel Pacific (executivehotels.net), which features 154 guest rooms and suites. Basic amenities include bathrobes, umbrellas and, as an added perk, a 24-hour Japanese television channel for foreign travelers.

Sports

Although Seattle’s NBA SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008, the city still features three major professional sports teams. While the MLB Mariners (seattle.mariners.mlb.com) play in Safeco Field, the NFL Seahawks (seahawks.com) and MLS Seattle Sounders (soundersfc.com) call CenturyLink Field home. The stadiums lie in the downtown region, directly across the street from one another.

About the Author

A travel writer since 2002, Jane Gosford has written countless articles for online pop-culture magazines and various travel-related websites, including Eurobooking and World66. Gosford also has experience in copywriting, having developed a series of articles related to network marketing. She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in theater arts.

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